Renewable Energy, Technology & Engineering Planning (RETEP) Manager

Renewable Energy, Technology & Engineering Planning (RETEP) Manager

(Engineering Manager, Senior)

This position is scheduled to receive salary range increases on the following dates:

  Effective June 27, 2025 – 4.00% increase  

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment will establish an Open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Engineering Manager, Senior positions.  The eligible list established may also be used to fill position in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.  

This recruitment will be open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open until 11:59pm on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 or until the day the County's needs are met.  Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

  

THE DEPARTMENT
OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is an organization dedicated to providing waste management services, protecting the environment, and promoting resource recovery in order to preserve the life of our landfills and ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. OCWR is nationally renowned for its solid waste disposal services (operating three active regional landfills), Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection and disposal services (operating four HHW collection centers), material recovery operations (metal and mattresses separation and recycling), organics recycling services (operating three compost facilities), Smart Landfill Program (SLP) implementation, closed landfill management (20 closed landfill sites), and administration of municipal solid waste collection, recycling, and planning for County unincorporated areas. OCWR is committed to its exceptional record of regulatory compliance and excellence in key pillars of operational success.

THE OPPORTUNITY

OCWR and the Compliance Support (CS) division has created this new Renewable Energy, Technology, and Engineering Planning (RETEP) Manager opportunity to support the pillars of operational excellence, including the SLP. With a team of electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers and data management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialists, RETEP Manager and the RETEP section functions as the primary advisory unit to executive leadership and regional landfill staff through planning, engineering, and conversion technology support to OCWR’s operation. In addition, the RETEP Manager is charged with identifying, evaluating, and driving renewable energy policy and initiatives by identifying opportunities for advanced renewable energy/conversion technologies and ensuring the highest and best use of landfill gas and biogas generated at County-owned landfills.

Beginning in January 2022, California State Bill-1383(SB-1383) has mandated organic waste diversion from landfills and conversion to recycled products. For this regulatory mandate, OCWR constructed three (3) new composting facilities at dedicated areas of all its three (3) active landfills. OCWR is working on additional new process systems such as Anaerobic Digestion (AD), Source Separated Organics (SSO), and Material Recovery Facilities (MRF). As a result, this position is vital to lead the master planning necessary for the future infrastructure, ensuring an accurate and realistic implementation in alignment with the County’s strategic financial plan.   

The RETEP Manager is charged with implementation of the SLP, leveraging data connectivity and technologies to optimize existing and future infrastructure (e.g., organics conversion technology, environmental control systems, grade control) while preparing for integration for future infrastructure (e.g., AD, SSO, and MRF).   In addition, this position will create an interactive spatial representation of facility infrastructure, housing a library of facility information and data using GIS and web-based applications, as well as other tasks as assigned.

Job duties include, but not limited to, the following:

• Provide direction to the Department regarding renewable energy program development opportunities
• Develop metrics and implementing efficient solutions that result in optimization of OCWR's renewable energy system
• Co-Administer third-party contractors which includes contract compliance, auditing/quality control of contractor payments and other reporting requirements, project management, and communicating on behalf of other divisions within OCWR to resolve compliance concerns

• Independently managing interested vendors as well as other related matters as assigned
• Present and advocate before various stakeholders (e.g., solid waste entities, political officials, executive leadership, commissions)
• Provide leadership and manage the Planning & Renewable Energy Unit in the development and implementation of strategies for the most consistent and effective renewable energy plans and policies at OCWR.
• Manage OCWR’s existing landfill gas to energy contracts for performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Provide civil, mechanical, electrical, control systems, and process control engineering direction and oversight related to planning, renewable energy, and technology integration with existing and future systems
• Oversee the preparation and review of designs, reports, technical studies or specifications, cost estimates, records, plans, and other documents
• Oversee research and analysis of policy, permits for multiple engineering disciplines and related information
• Ensure compliance with standard engineering practices and principles
• Manage unit projects and operational strategies to achieve performance goals
• Prepare and make presentations as a representative of OCWR to various internal and external stakeholders, including contracted partners and consultants
• Approve engineering drawings to be issued for construction as needed

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS 

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or other related engineering field.  The ideal candidate will also have ten (10) years of related professional engineering management experience and ten (10) years of lead or supervisory experience.

• A Certification as a Renewable Energy Manager (REP), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or Leadership Management and or a master’s degree in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or other related engineering is preferred

In addition, the ideal candidate will possess management level experience that demonstrates strong knowledge and expertise, summarized below:

Professional and Technical Expertise

• Advanced knowledge of the principles and practices of engineering and/or construction management
• Conversion technology and/or renewable energy operations management in the solid waste industry and/or methane-producing environment
• Landfill Gas Collection and Control System (GCCS) operations for the purpose of emission reductions and on-site energy generation.
• Renewable energy sales agreements and Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) terms, conditions, and industry practices
• Understanding of Federal, State, and local incentive programs and related grant funding opportunities associated with renewable energy and emission reductions
• Planning project management experience such as, managing Master Plan projects including landfill facility master plans, Renewable Energy projects master plans and systems automation master plans
• Experience supervising multiple teams in the research and development of new projects such as the ArcGIS team and the facility atlas program, all landfill Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system programs, solar energy planning and hydrogen fuel program research and planning
• Experience in creating and overseeing budgets as well as budget tracking and cost management.
• Ability to research and implement advanced renewable energy technology 
• Ability to ensure regulatory compliance
• Experience in negotiations with vendors and consultants
   

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to learn more about the minimum qualifications, physical & mental requirements, and environmental and working conditions for the Engineering Manager, Senior classification.
 
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

State of California Licensed Professional Engineer Registration (PE)

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials for minimum and desirable qualifications. After screening, applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process.  All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the recruitment process.
 
Structured Oral Interview | SOI (Weighted 100%)
Candidates will be interviewed and rated by an oral interview panel of job knowledge experts. Each applicant's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job.
 
Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
 
Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.
  
Veterans Employment Preference Policy (VEPP)
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here (Download PDF reader) to review the policy. 

Salary : $135,262 - $187,346